Issues Paper Out For Comment On Planning Controls For Contaminated Land

(23/9/11 - P) Submissions close 1 November

A 41-page Issues and Options Paper has been prepared by the Potentially Contaminated Land Advisory Committee for the review of existing planning controls and processes, including a revised Environmental Audit Overlay [EAO]. The Issues and Options Paper presents information, options and questions. Submissions are invited by 1 November 2011.

For more information, go the the Department of Planning and Community Development website:

http://www.dpcd.vic.gov.au/planning/panelsandcommittees/current-planning-panels-and-committees/contaminated-land-advisory-committee

MRRA Says:

The Issues and Options Paper is asking questions about how planning regulations around contamination can be clarified and improved (which is good). But... it also goes down the path of considering how regulations can be wiggled around to 'ease' the way for development by allowing land to be audited for contamination after an amendment is approved or permit is issued. Wrong way around, fellas!

Another thing is that while an excellently presented document, the Issues and Options Paper seems to have a distinctly metropolitan focus. While there are inarguably a multitude of contamination issues in Melbourne, it would be reassuring if particular attention is also given to what happens in rural areas. We would hate to end up with yet more planning controls that are developed for Melbourne then spread across the state, e.g. like ResCode, with horrid results in rural areas.

All up, it seems that this project runs the risk of being seen as just another round of corner-cutting to suit developers. Calling it risk management doesn't get past the fact that it's really risk taking. The problem is, when it all goes wrong it's not often the people who take - manage - the risk - who pay for (or die from) the mistakes.